The FDA Just Approved the First At-Home Test for Cervical Cancer—Here’s What OB/GYNs Need You to Know

Cervical cancer: It's a condition that has been traditionally diagnosed through routine Pap smear tests at your healthcare provider's office. But unfortunately, for many people, this screening method can be uncomfortable and even traumatic, which has prompted members of the medical community to find a better cancer screening approach. And now, it's finally here.

Last Friday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the Teal Wand—the first-ever at-home cervical cancer screening tool—to make this vital healthcare service more comfortable and accessible. The test, made by the company Teal Health, is done at home using a vaginal swab, allowing women who may have difficulty getting in to see a provider still get screened. The testing advancement could be a major milestone toward proper diagnosis and treatment of reproductive health conditions like cervical cancer, which affects nearly 13,500 women (and kills almost 4,320) in the U.S. each year.

While this test works differently from a traditional Pap smear (also known as a Pap test), healthcare providers say there are a few things women should keep in mind about the Teal Wand before trying it out. Here's what they want you to know.

1. You still need a prescription for the test. 

While you can order Teal Wand online (or will be able to very soon), you still need a prescription to actually get your hands on the screening method. This might involve putting in a request on the company's website to join the waitlist and then scheduling a telehealth consultation with a provider before it's sent to your home.

If your provider approves and fills the prescription, and the test is sent your way, the kit will come with a sponge-like tool to swab the inside of your vagina. Once you've swabbed in inside of your vaginal wall, the swab gets placed in a provided shipping-safe safe container to send back to a medical lab.

Once your sample has been tested, easy-to-read results will be sent straight to your digital Teal Health account, which you can bring to your provider to help figure out next steps. If your results are clear (i.e., not abnormal), you won't need to be screened again for three to five years, unless advised otherwise by your provider.

2. It’s an accurate way to screen for cervical cancer, although not as accurate as a Pap test.

The Teal Wand test specifically looks for the presence of human papillomavirus (HPV), a virus that’s linked to the development of cervical cancer.¹ Researchers with Teal Health found the test is as reliable at detecting HPV-related precancers as the traditional speculum exam (i.e., the one you receive at the gynecologist).²

However, researchers also found that the Teal Wand is less sensitive for cervical cancer screening than a traditional Pap test, also known as cervical cytology. In other words, the Teal Wand is “just HPV testing. It’s not obtaining the cells on the cervix,” says Christine Greves, MD, an OB/GYN at the Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women and Babies in Orlando, Florida.

This means, if your Teal Wand test results come back positive for HPV, you’ll likely need to go to a healthcare provider to get a Pap test or colposcopy, a test that analyzes your cervix through a magnifying device.³ So, even if you do purchase the Teal Wand and go through all the required steps, it's possible that you may still need to get a Pap test at some point.

Additionally, Anita Mikkilineni, MD, assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology at George Washington University, has concerns about follow-up testing: "What if you need a biopsy?" she says. "I'm concerned about losing patients to follow up if they aren’t having this testing done with a provider who is responsible/liable to do so," she adds.

3. The test's accessibility will help with diagnosis.

Cervical cancer is most commonly diagnosed in women between the ages of 35 and 44, but this age range is typically a pretty busy time in life. As a result, some women may skip cancer screenings in favor of work commitments, kids’ schedules, or any number of things going on. Not to mention, some women might have trauma that makes getting a Pap smear anxiety-inducing, or they might find the test too physically uncomfortable so they avoid it, says Jennifer Wider, MD, an OB/GYN and co-host of the Open Wider podcast.

“Many women complain about in-office exams using a metal speculum and putting their legs in stirrups—this [at-home test] would avoid all of that and potentially get more women to screen regularly,” Dr. Wider adds. 

4. You still need to go to your regular check-ups.

Providers agree that this is a big aspect to keep in mind. While the Teal Wand allows you to screen for cervical cancer from your home, your annual visit to a gynecologist or a provider for a pelvic exam is still crucial.

“Screening for cervical cancer is only one part of a well-woman exam and should not replace in-person regular appointments with a healthcare provider,” Dr. Wider says. During your exam, your provider will check for anything that appears abnormal that has to do with reproductive organs like your ovaries, cervix, or uterus. This could include things like fibroids (benign growths in the uterus), ovarian cysts (abnormal fluid-filled sacs that grow in or on the ovaries), and infections (like UTIs or pelvic inflammatory disease), she adds.

Besides the pelvic exam, “healthcare providers check blood pressure, do breast exams, and take a thorough medical history, among many other things that need to be done in person,” Dr. Wider says. And Dr. Greves agrees: "This should not replace an annual visit."

5. It may still be cheaper to get a Pap test.

The price point for the Teal Wand is yet to be determined, so it's not clear how much you'll pay out of pocket for this service. (Although, as of right now, the website says the test is available in-network with most health insurance providers within the state of California, and is HSA/FSA eligible.)

But it's important to keep in mind that standard Pap tests are still typically free with most health insurance providers: “A Pap test is usually included without extra fees in your annual exam,” Dr. Greves says. Most local health and wellness clinics also provide Pap smears (and other preventative health screenings) for free or at a low cost.

The bottom line

Healthcare providers agree that Teal Wand is a convenient service that will help a lot of women, but there are just a few things to be aware of before going this route.

Ultimately, "it's a self HPV testing kit," says G. Thomas Ruiz, MD, lead OB/GYN at MemorialCare Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, California. "If you absolutely can't get into a doctor for an annual examination, I guess it's better than nothing, so that if the test came back positive, you would know to go to your doctor for a more thorough examination and inspection," he adds.

If you're interested in trying Teal Wand yourself, Teal Health plans to roll out the test in California in June and then to other states.

Visit www.getteal.com for updates on availability and pricing.